Music History

The 13-year music cycle revisited

Years ago, I published a theory on how rock and pop have been locked in a struggle for cultural dominance. It’s just been picked up by the Foundation for the Study of Cycles, a rather big-brained outfit that looks at patterns of repetition throughout history. They also have a magazine entitled Cycles devoted to such things.

This is the latest issue.

My article starts on page 86.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 37969 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

2 thoughts on “The 13-year music cycle revisited

  • I first looked at the chunk of dates and thought 1990-whatever and saw Depeche Mode and as fast as my knee jerked, I went backwards and read a little bit of the slot before.

    1976- 2979 and thought, omg, he nailed that one. All the others, I know nada. But ’76-89..even though I was too young for punk in its original timeline, the music, no matter how embarrassing of that day , while not shaping me, did have a superficial meaning in my life. Some have very distinct memories. But go forward to the 80-81 and there it all truly kicked off and a new waver was born, later to be influence by goth and industrial and punk – both 70s and 80s because we had a badass scene in California: NorCal and SoCal. I’ve mentioned before but I was truly in the right places at the right times (although I wish I had a two-five year head start.) I hate to say the word because I’m an atheist but I was blessed. People, venues, towns radio stations, zines, record stores, you name it, I feel like I had a backstage and all access pass. I didn’t! But I do feel that lucky.

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  • PS And 89…just picture death..89 was the death of my music…of course we know now that it wasn’t a permanent death per se but ( much cussing) grunge. Grunge was the death knell for my music.

    Reply

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